Can A Bail Bondsman Enter Your Home In California?

Truth be told, a bail bondsman will never have a reason to enter your home. All transactions will take place at the bail bonds agency, not in the privacy of your own home. If you really think about it, the contract has no physical way of happening at your home. Either you or your loved one has to initiate the claim and fill out the application to get you out of prison; therefore, you’ll be behind bars while all initial conversations are happening for your release.

With that being said, we’ve answered your original question. But that’s not what we think you were referring to. A bail bondsman cannot enter your home; a bounty hunter can. And they’re tied together, considering a bail bondsman is the person that hires a bounty hunter.

So let’s talk a bit more about the person that can enter your home and a little less about the person that can’t enter your home.

What is a bounty hunter?

To know what a bounty hunter is, you must first know how a bail bonds company works.

If you or a loved one gets arrested, you’re stuck in jail until bail is posted. More often than not, people can’t afford to post a 100% cash bail – that could be as high as $100,000 in the state of California. Instead, they opt to work with a bail bonds company, where the bondsman sends in the full bail on the defendant’s behalf. From there, the bondsman will get the full sum back once the defendant makes all his or her appearances in court. Due to this arrangement, the defendant is left to pay a 10% bail fee to the bail bonds company to secure release. This can be submitted as a one-time payment or a payment plan can be set up and signed for.

The only way a bail bonds company will not get their money back is if the defendant doesn’t appear in court. Reasons could include forgetfulness, disappearance, or simply that they did not want to go. In that case, a bounty hunter will be paid by the bail bonds company and instructed to find the defendant. Upon finding, the bounty hunter will then bring the defendant directly to jail.

Who can be a bounty hunter?

A bounty hunter is a scary thought, especially if they’re after you. The last thing you want to do is go back to jail.

But if you look at the bright side, not just anyone can be a bounty hunter. California has regulations, including licensure. That’s right, a bounty hunter cannot work without the proper licenses. To obtain a license, the individual must be 18 years of age and older with no felonies on their criminal record. They’re also required to complete training and education courses, with a necessary passing score of 70%.

What are some limitations of bounty hunters?

Laws vary from state to state, but in California, they’re very strict.

For starters, if a bounty hunter is on the lookout for you, they need the appropriate documentation from the bail bond agency to act as proof. In addition, they must inform the local police that they’re searching at least six hours before they begin, so that the department can prepare for the upcoming arrest.

Bounty hunters also have strict rules imposed on them regarding home entry. They cannot forcibly enter your place of residence on any occasion, even if they suspect you’re inside. Most of the time, they’re required to contact the local authorities to get you re-arrested.

If you have any questions regarding bail, bail bonds, or bounty hunters, please visit our website – link attached here. Contact us today and we can help you or your loved one.